Nominations are open for a success to Professor Simon Wood as Joint Editor of Series B of the Society's journal when his term of office finishes at the end of December 2021. Proposals should be sent to Judith Shorten, Journals Manager, Royal Statistical Society, 12 Errol Street, London, EC1Y 8LX, UK (journal@rss.org.uk), by January 31, 2021.
The editorships of the Society's journal are important and prestigious positions but they are also demanding and time consuming. The people who undertake them perform an invaluable service for the Society. From 2021, Series B will have three Joint Editors, serving 3-year terms. The Editors' main role is concerned with the technical assessment of material submitted to the series, in collaboration with their Panels of Associate Editors. In addition, Joint Editors collaborate closely with the Journals Manager in the Society’s Editorial Office and publishers Wiley.
Editors also take an active role with the ongoing formulation and review of publication policy via the Society's Publications Network of Advisors and the publishers, with whom meetings take place in the autumn and/or the spring at the Society's offices (when possible).
Series B Editors as ex officio members of the Research Section Committee are also involved in assessing the suitability of papers for presentation to the Society at its discussion paper meetings and their subsequent publication with an account of the discussion.
1. General description
The primary task of a Joint Editor is to manage the review process of manuscripts submitted to the series through the ScholarOne Manuscripts web-based submission and peer review system. This begins with the initial screening of manuscripts for suitability for further consideration via selection of the appropriate Associate Editor from the Editorial Panel, who will then usually assign independent referees. The submission system automatically records the progress of the review process and the history of each manuscript, enabling the Editor to manage the quality and timeliness of the review process. Overall administration of the system and journal production are carried out by Wiley, who deal with any problems and provide assistance, but the Journals Manager is also on hand to deal with other administrative matters.
2. Co-ordination between Joint Editors
Each of the Joint Editors is assigned a third of the submissions to the series to handle, but it is essential that they maintain a close working relationship to provide mutual support in matters of policy and technical content. At the start of a new Editor's term, only new papers or those for which authors are awaiting the first decision are dealt with by that Editor. After the end of June of an Editor's first year, any other of the previous Editor’s remaining open files are transferred in a final hand-over. For continuity the Joint Editors’ terms of office are staggered. With the help of the Editorial Office the more senior of the continuing Editors sets up and chairs a search committee to find a replacement for the next Editor of the trio who is due to retire at the end of the following year. The Joint Editors typically meet in person only if there is an editorial panel meeting and the meetings with the publishers or with the Publications Network of Advisors. Most of the time, contact is by e-mail and perhaps telephone or, for example, Teams.
3. The editorial panels
For Series B each Editor will receive about 180–200 new manuscripts per year. Each year, after consultation with their Panels, the Joint Editors select cohorts of new members for the Editorial Panel to replace retiring members. Associate Editors serve 4-year terms. They are chosen to reflect the various areas of expertise that need to be covered, for being scientifically outstanding in their area(s) of expertise and for their commitment to a rapid reviewing process. Associate Editors should therefore be well organized and have good communication skills.
4. Co-ordination with the publishers and Editorial Office
New submissions arrive through the ScholarOne on-line system for all the series daily, and the publishers assign the manuscripts to the appropriate Joint Editor within a day or so of receipt. The Editor is then responsible for them until the review process has been concluded (ultimately resulting in either rejection or acceptance). Accepted papers then go into production with Wiley. Wiley’s production editor provides the journal Editors with regular editorial and production updates, but specific reports from the system and other support can also be provided if required. Notes on how the system operates are provided for all new Editors and Associate Editors at the beginning of their terms.
5. Personal characteristics
Joint Editors are reputable statistical scientists, with a broad view of the field that is covered by the series. She or he must have enthusiasm for the process of scholarly publication and have a desire to continue the tradition of the Journal of the Royal Statistical Society, while having an interest in innovative ways to develop it further. It is essential that he or she can commit and sustain sufficient time over their term of office to devote to achieving these aims. The Joint Editor must be able to work independently but also be a team player, as he or she will work in close relationships with the other Joint Editors, the Journals Manager and publishers and his or her Editorial Panel. Excellent communication and diplomatic skills are indispensable since some aspects of the job may require tact, such as in communicating the rejection of a manuscript to authors, and urging Associate Editors and referees to turn in their reports quickly, while recognising that likewise they are giving their time for free and have other pressing commitments. Good organisational skills are essential to ensure the smooth running of the journal.
6. Support
The Society is a registered charity which operates under a Royal Charter and bye-laws and therefore cannot make ex gratia payments to its journal Editors. However, for example, travel and subsistence costs to attend committee meetings and other out-of-pocket expenses will be reimbursed. Claims for secretarial support and material costs incurred at Editors' institutions will also be paid to the institutions up to a current maximum of about £3000.
7. Aims and Scope of the Series B
Series B (Statistical Methodology) has a long tradition of publishing work that is at the leading edge of methodological development, with a strong emphasis on relevance to statistical practice. Included are papers on study design, statistical models, methods of analysis and the theory that underlies them—almost invariably motivated or illustrated by real examples. Series B aims to disseminate work which is innovative, insightful and likely to have a substantial impact on the way that data are collected and analysed; within these parameters the journal's scope is broad, embracing for example relevant work in applied probability, computational methods, data science and the foundations of statistics.